The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder (Hardcover)

by Demitri Papolos (Author), Janice Papolos (Author) "In 1992 Tomie Burke, a young mother in Pullman, Washington, developed a listserv (called BPParents) for parents of children with bipolar disorder..." (more)
Key Phrases: bipolar teen, bipolar children, child with bipolar disorder, New York, National Institute of Mental Health, Social Security (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
For any caregiver experiencing life with a bipolar child, Demitri and Janice Papolos's The Bipolar Child will be an indispensable reference guide. The material is presented clearly, with lots of helpful charts and lists to aid in receiving proper diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. All medical information is relayed with the aim of helping parents to ensure effective treatment for their children and includes journal-tracking formats to help caregivers provide accurate information to personal physicians. Importantly, many pages are devoted to discussions about the emotional upheavals that living with a bipolar child can bring, and how parents and children can cope most effectively. The book is filled with families' stories that do a beautiful job providing comfort and inspiration to others. A detailed chapter on hospitalization covers everything from insurance to types of treatments. The authors provide excellent information regarding improved educational practices, with step-by-step instructions for goal-setting with your child and communicating your child's needs to school personnel. The Bipolar Child is a satisfying and wise read. --Jill Lightner

From Publishers Weekly
Demitri, associate professor of psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his wife, Janice (authors of Overcoming Depression), present a comprehensive view of early-onset bipolar disorder, focusing on how this complicated illness evolves in children. The authors warn that nearly one-third of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may actually be bipolar (previously called manic depression), and they stress the importance of getting early diagnosis and treatmentAespecially since ritalin, which is commonly prescribed for ADHD, may worsen the bipolar child's condition. The authors dispel the myth that bipolar disorder occurs only in adolescents and adults and note that cases of bipolar disorder are increasingly occurring at a younger age. While the book sounds several alarms, it also offers support to parents (Demitri is the adviser for an online support group for parents of bipolar children, from which the authors culled much of their anecdotal information). In addition to diagnosis and treatment, the authors discuss practical ways to deal with the condition itself, as well as the impact it has on the entire family. This is an important guide for parents seeking ways to cope with this potentially devastating disorder. (Dec.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (January 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767903161
• ISBN-13: 978-0767903165
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #615,883 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

161 of 166 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading for Parents, Educators & Service Providers, January 13, 2000

By	Diane Docherty (Sedona, AZ) - See all my reviews

This exceptional book is an in-depth, yet easy-to-read, "bible" on early-onset (childhood) bipolar disorder. It covers every aspect of this devastating and misunderstood illness--from genetics, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment/medications to impact on the family, educational implications, and insurance. Throughout the book, there are detailed, personal accounts (provided by parents of bipolar children) that shed light on the "everyday" lives of children with this illness. These accounts complement the more technical, medical discussions, making it easy for the layman to fully grasp all aspects of the illness.

The sections that that describe the differences between adult bipolar disorder and early-onset bipolar disorder are particularly impressive. The sections on other diagnostic categories (such as ADHD which is frequently a "misdiagnosis" with tragic results) are equally impressive.

In short, this book ought to be "required" reading for everyone involved in the life of a bipolar child, including parents, relatives, teachers, therapists, and doctors. As the parent of a child diagnosed ten years ago at age five with bipolar disorder, I can say with confidence that this book more than lives up to its subtitle, "The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder." It is a medical reference book, parent handbook, educational planning book, treatment roadmap, and book of hope--all rolled into one!

112 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Footsoldiers In The Battle To Comfort Children, January 29, 2004

By	Thomas J. Burns (Apopka, Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder (Revised and Expanded Edition) (Hardcover)

One might argue that the authors attempted to squeeze too much information between one set of covers. It does seem that there are actually two books here: one, a medical analysis of the etiology of Bipolar Disorder, particularly early onset in very young children; and another book guiding parents in recognizing the symptoms and navigating the medical, insurance, and governmental mazes to obtain treatment for their children. Be that as it may, the authors have written a very provocative treatment of Bipolar Disorder that brings into print what psychiatrists, mental health professionals, and many parents have been concerned about for some time. For the past decade or so, there has been growing concern about the precision of children's diagnoses vis-à-vis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While many parents and school officials wonder if the ADHD diagnosis is rendered too often, there is another school of thought emerging that as many as a third of ADHD diagnoses are in reality cases of early onset Bipolar Disorder.

The authors are not alarmists; their stance, research, and professional networking is mainstream. But this work is alarming. It argues from the testimony of hundreds of parents connected to the authors from around the country by the Internet, that their children were much more violently ill than DSM-IV criteria for ADHD would admit, and that traditional ADHD treatments were not working, in fact making the situations worse. Admitting that the ADHD/bipolar differential is tricky for the diagnostician, the authors have arrived at useful clinical clues. For example, when a hyperactive child breaks something, more often than not he is angry with himself for his clumsiness. The bipolar child, on the other hand, often demonstrates an outward rage or anger with his destructive actions directed at family and peers. The Papoloses note also that bipolar children are more inclined to night terrors and violent imagination in story telling and art work.

The authors point out that pediatric pharmacology in the treatment of early-onset Bipolar Disorder is extremely critical and presents a wide array of problems. As noted above, Bipolar Disorder can be mistaken for ADHD. The standard medication for the latter has been stimulants, which unfortunately will severely aggravate the manic tendencies of the bipolar client. Other clients may present as depressed, and even though the FDA has severely cautioned against the use of SSRI's with depressed children, it has not forbidden their use outright. In children and adults, SSRI's have been found to trigger manic episodes where the depressed mood was a feature of misdiagnosed Bipolar Disorder.

Even when the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is correctly made, the medication problems for children are significant. Over the years the common practice has been the use of such mood stabilizers as Lithium and Depakote. These medications have required regular blood work, which has made compliance an issue with children who naturally despise needles. More recently, anticonvulsant and atypical psychotic medications have proven useful in severe cases. However, these medications involve significant side effects ranging from aggravated weight gain and acne to such extremes as facial distortions and the other trademark symptoms of psychotic medications. The Papoloses examine each medication, pro and con, to assist parents and practitioners in treating and educating their clients.

Parents are reminded that dating back to 1973 federal law has mandated the educational opportunities of children with mental disorders. In a similar vein, children's rights to medical treatment, including institutionalization for weeks or months, are also reviewed under the provisions of Medicare and Medicaid, among other plans. The authors are thorough in spelling out the rights and the best procedures to follow in dealing with the bureaucracies of government, schools, and insurance companies. A number of useful organizations, with phone numbers and web sites, are provided. However, in the two states whose budgets I monitor, New York and Florida, Medicaid funding for children has been significantly reduced due to strapped state budgets. At this writing, California is considering wholesale reduction of service as well. Consequently, even those parents who are faithful to the advice rendered by the Papoloses may have difficulty in accessing service. The authors' advice here, while correct may be a bit too rosy in the present health care environment. In addition, I attempted to use several of the web sites, and some of them have been disbanded.

But in the final analysis, this work fulfills what I think were the intentions of the authors. First, it provides assurances to parents that the bizarre and deeply troubling behavior of their children may have organic causes for which they are not responsible. Caregivers are reminded that they are not alone, that they have rights, and most importantly, that there are support groups and practitioners who are beginning to understand the scope of their problems. Second, this work is successful in encouraging practitioners to think more expansively about the pervasiveness of early-onset Bipolar Disorder. Until fairly recently popular wisdom had that Bipolar Disorder was "a grownup's disorder." Today any practitioner will tell you that in the absence of significant personal and family history, the establishment of a bipolar diagnosis is extremely difficult. So much the more for children, particularly when we are not conditioned to routinely look for manic depressive features.

The Papoloses also discuss the troubling prospect that disorders of mood are gradually increasing in scope and intensity in America and appearing at earlier ages than ever before. I do not expect that this contention will go unchallenged. But if the authors are anywhere near correct in this contention, our research into the causes and treatment of many children's mental disorders, which now appear inherited and to emanate from the frontal regions of the brain, must accelerate not only for the safety of our children and families, but as a humane gesture to their suffering.

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good timing for this book, February 9, 2000

By	mom of bipolar son (Ohio) - See all my reviews

I am so glad that his book became available when it did -- my 13 year old son was just diagnosed with bipolar disorder in November, 1999 after a two week stay in the hospital for mania. Just a year before, he was hospitalized with ADHD and depression for a week. He was diagnosed ADHD at the age of 6. Over the years, he was very moody and had many up and down periods. The stimulants and antidepressants actually made the disorder worse. I tried to find information regarding children with bipolar in November, but could find very little. Then I found out about this book. I was very excited. This book is great! It provided very accurate information that described my son and let me know he wasn't the only one who had this. I also found the information regarding how to find a good doctor very helpful also. I feel based on that info. we have found a great doctor (after going through four). I know a couple of the reviews were negative; and I don't know if your child suffers from this disorder, but you really don't know what's it's like until you live with it. Thanks for reading.